Showing posts with label Rome. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rome. Show all posts
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Friday, June 24, 2011
The Mysterious Vatican
Guest Blogger: Dan Rahim
copyright 2011 art of living, PrimaMedia,inc
What is the Vatican?
Many people don’t realize the there is still a monarchy in Rome. But it is not of an Italian King. In fact the monarch at this point is of German descent. But he doesn’t rule Italy, or Even all of Rome for that matter. He rules a small walled of section inside the city. This man is known by many as the Pope.
One of the smallest independent states in the world is Vatican City. There are very few permanent residents. Only the Pope and his officials are actual citizens and the Pope rules the city with an iron fist. This is only a slight exaggeration. The Pope is an elected official, but he still serves as a monarch of the city. The pope does have an assembly of Cardinals, however, to run the day to day operations of the city.
The city is protected mainly by Italy as Italy surrounds it entirely. There are, however, conspicuous guards within the city. They dress in rather old fashioned clothing and are known as the Swiss Guards. These guards are actually only the body guards of the Pope himself, but they function in protection of the city as a whole, but more on the level of police rather than actual military.
But when you think about the Vatican you don’t imagine this small bureaucratic government running a miniature country, you imagine the great cathedrals or the Vatican Museum, one of the world’s most visited Museums. This small government, though, is what makes all the sites accessible and is primarily responsible for the upkeep.
Everything from the Botecelli’s to the Da Vinci’s are kept within the city and maintained. A trip to the Vatican when in Rome is mandatory.
For more info on Italy and award winning recipes join 100,000 worldwide subscribers at The Basic Art of Italian Cooking by Maria Liberati tm BLOG
Overdose on the Magnificence of Rome
Guest BLogger: Dan Rahim
copyright 2011 art of living, PrimaMedia,inc
The dark night sky is lit by small pin pricks in the heavens. Closer you can see the small lamps and large marble buildings. The buildings glow like giants under the lights of the moon reflected in the river below. The air is warm as the warm Mediterranean breeze tickles over you. The scents of the nearby restraints titillate your nostrils, teasing them like a warm lover through the night air. The air is humid but not so much so to be uncomfortable, more like a warm blanket covering the city. Pregnant with possibilities you walk along the streets of Rome.
The large marble buildings, the slow trickle of European time, a deep history, these are the things that make Rome a city of the giants. Once the seat of the world’s greatest empire, Rome is now one of the most visited cities in the world and for good reason. Nowhere else in the world can you experience all the great sites of Rome.
All the major sites should be seen. The Colloseum is perhaps one of the most famous. It is nothing but a spectacle in the night. It looms above the city like something from a movie. The white outside gleams a yellow from the city lights outside. The pictures you see in movies and on TV can not quite capture the majesty of the building.
The Pantheon is another of the greatest sights to see. The pillars of the ancient temple are astounding. A site where the Gods stood for the Romans, even today inspires awe. The white marble, looming steps are part of the grand design of the building. Not everything worth seeing in Rome is from the age of the empire however. There are a great many buildings worth seeing from the medieval age as well.
The Basilica of Saint Paul or Basilica di San Paulo as the Italians know it is one of these famous pieces. Though some see it as a religious site where the remains of St. Paul are said to have been covered by the Emperor Constantine, the site is of great beauty. The history of the site alone is overwhelming , though it has been rebuilt time and time again refinishing and fixing small cracks and replacing entire walls at times, the building was first completed more than 1600 years ago in about 370.
As far as the mystery of St. Peter’s body, there have been recent findings in the area. In fact, the sarcophagus was found underneath the basilica and recent carbon dating, which most historians find very reliable date the bone fragments remains to the first or second century, which places the bones at the time of St. Peter’s death.
There are many more fantastic pieces of history and mystery that lie beneath the city. Those can only be found by those who search. Rome as the vibrant heart of Italy is a must see for anyone wishing to truly experience the beauty that is Europe.
For more travel information and stories about Rome Italy join 100,000 worldwide subscribers at www.marialiberati.com
Thursday, June 9, 2011
A Roman Feat of Engineering -Aqueducts
Guest Bloggerr:Dan Rahim
They stare at you straight in the face. It is hard to ignore them if you ever travel to Rome. They tower over the towns, big stone monoliths. They look like huge bridges. In fact they were perhaps the greatest feat of Roman engineering and one of the greatest feats of engineering in the ancient world. The water flowed around simply with the power of gravity. No pumps or other devices were used to get the flow moving.
The aqueducts were one of the first grand scale construction projects to move water through the ancient Roman Empire. Essentially they were just large channels along which water would flow. This facilitated getting water to large sites usually mines but sometimes into the cities.
Though the most visible parts are those above the ground most of the aqueducts ran underground. This was done mainly because it was easier to build underground and they would be less vulnerable to both attack and contamination. These aqueducts were not isolated in Rome; in fact anywhere the Empire spread the aqueducts spread as well. The largest system of this pre-medieval plumbing is found in Constantinople.
The aqueducts eventually stopped being used and went out of service. Some were destroyed by the invaders who wished to starve out the Romans. However, most were destroyed through time and corrosion, because of the large volume of water going through the aqueducts they needed constant maintenance without which they collapsed with the fall of the empire.
They stare at you straight in the face. It is hard to ignore them if you ever travel to Rome. They tower over the towns, big stone monoliths. They look like huge bridges. In fact they were perhaps the greatest feat of Roman engineering and one of the greatest feats of engineering in the ancient world. The water flowed around simply with the power of gravity. No pumps or other devices were used to get the flow moving.
The aqueducts were one of the first grand scale construction projects to move water through the ancient Roman Empire. Essentially they were just large channels along which water would flow. This facilitated getting water to large sites usually mines but sometimes into the cities.
Though the most visible parts are those above the ground most of the aqueducts ran underground. This was done mainly because it was easier to build underground and they would be less vulnerable to both attack and contamination. These aqueducts were not isolated in Rome; in fact anywhere the Empire spread the aqueducts spread as well. The largest system of this pre-medieval plumbing is found in Constantinople.
The aqueducts eventually stopped being used and went out of service. Some were destroyed by the invaders who wished to starve out the Romans. However, most were destroyed through time and corrosion, because of the large volume of water going through the aqueducts they needed constant maintenance without which they collapsed with the fall of the empire.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Spaghetti in Rome
copyright 2009, Maria Liberati
Here is a recipe for one of my favorite pasta dishes..brought to mind because I just enjoyed a dish at one of my favorite restaurants in Rome-
Serve with Chianti wine in recipe, dine al fresco as we did in Rome-for an added touch..
La Matriciana
for 4 people
*1 lb of pasta (spaghetti, bucatini,rigatoni)
½ onion
1 clove of garlic
¼ pound bacon (optional), cut into thin strips
3 tblsps of extra virgin olive oil
½ cup of dry white wine (Chianti)
½ tblsp of white wine vinegar
5-6 leaves of fresh basil
¼ of a dry, hot ,red pepper
a pinch of black pepper
2 lbs of ripe red plum tomatoes
¼ cup of pecorino romano cheese freshly grated
Place olive oil in saute pan and warm, place in bacon and chopped onion, hot red pepper, garlic .Saute until onion begins to become golden. Pour in wine and let liquid evaporate. Then add in the tomatoes that have been fileted (seeds removed) and fresh basil leaves.
Saute on medium heat for approx 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
Cook the pasta till al dente. Drain and place in sauce, toss and place in half of the grated cheese, toss. Serve each portion with a pinch of black pepper and more grated cheese.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Bruschetta old & new..
Did you know that Bruschetta goes far back to the days of cucina povere (poor people's kitchen) in Italy. It was a way of making use of day old bread. Today bruschetta is served in many resturants but not considered 'cucina povere'..served in many as a gourmet dish.
But I know many think of bruschetta as having a tomato and basil topping..but the toppings can be different and varied.
Here is my recipe for bruschetta made with tofu and zucchini flowers:
Bruschetta with Tofu and Zucchini Flowers
*15 minutes to prepare
*7 minutes cooking time
*300 calories per portion
*Easy
For 4 people
*1 loaf of crusty Italian bread or a baguette with sesame seeds on top (8 slices)
*10 ounces of fresh tofu- firm
*10 zucchini flowers
*1 clove garlic
*the grated peel of 1 lemon
*4 ounces arugula
*1 tsp thyme
*1 tblsp fresh basil chopped
*2 tblsps soy sauce
*1 tblsp Balsamic vinegar
*3 tblsps extra virgin olive oil for marinade
*2 tsps extra virgin olive oil to sautee zucchini flowers
*dash of pepper
Make a marinade by mixing together 3 tblsps olive oil, 1 tblsp balsamic vinegar, and 2 tblsps soy sauce.
Place in marinade the garlic clove, chaopped basil and chopped thyme, grated lemon peel, tofu cut into cubes, let marinade for 1 hour.
Cut 8 slices from bread and place in oven (350 degrees) to toast for 5 minutes per side. Open the zucchini flowers, remove the pistols inside and the stem. Wash the flowers very gently. Saute in 2 tsps of olive oil in a saute pan. Saute for 3 minutes.
Remove garlic from marinade. Wash and dry arugula. Distribute arugula on 8 slices of bread, then top with tofu mix and lastly top with zucchini flowers. Dress with the liquid from the marinade and a pinch of salt and pepper. Serve
TO see more about the adventures at The Basic Art of Italian Cooking kitchen in Italy and our making of a Sacher Torte go to http://www.marialiberati.com/blog2
For more great recipes get your copy of the best selling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking at http://www.marialiberati.com
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Happy Carnevale!!!
copyright, 2008, Maria Liberati
I could not let this colorful festive Holiday pass us by without a noble mention on my blog. Here is an excerpt from the book to be published in late 2008-
The Basic Art of Italian Cooking-Holidays and Special Occasions, copyright, 2008, Maria Liberati
Did you know that Carnevale originated in Rome?
It began in ancient Rome, the term comes from the latin word “carnem levare”. This referred to the period of fasting from meat. The feast lasts for about 10 days But the ancient Romans celebrated it for about 180 days of the year. It was their way of celebrating their victories. After the fall of the Roman empire, Carnevale was still celebrated by the Roman people. It always included a period of fasting, and joy
Carnevale is made up of some any colors- from the beautiful fireworks displays to the costumes to the colored papers and streamers used during this Holiday. To stay in the Carnevale spirit, keep your foods, tableware colorful and festive.
In the spirit of the decadent Romans a masked ball with decadent desserts is the perfect way to celebrate.
Dolce Cioccolata
6 eggs
½ cup sugar
16 ounces of unsweetend baking chocolate (at least 60% cocoa)
2 /12 cups whipped cream
¼ cup Cointreau
Fresh raspberries for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a pie pan and coat with baking paper. Dip finger tips in olive oil and oil baking paper.
With electric mixer, beat eggs with sugar of 5 minutes – until creamy and well blended. Melt chocolate in glass dish in microwave (approx 2 minutes depending on settings).
With rubber spatula, fold melted chocolate into egg mixture. Im separate bowl whip cream, fold in Cointreau. Gently fold this into egg/chocolate mixture until well blended.
Place pie pan coated with baking paper in a glass or ceramic baking dish. Place water in baking dish to reach half height of pie plate.
Bake for 30 minutes this way in oven. Take out. Place sheet of baking paper on top and bake for another 30 minutes this way. Remove from oven, Uncover and let cool. When cool, refrigerate overnight. Serve garnished with fresh raspberries and dust with powdered cocoa.
Form ore recipes and info on Carnevale:
http://www.notecook.com/Desserts/Carnevale-in-Italy-and-a-Recipe-to-Celebrate-This-Holiday.66860
http://www.trifter.com/Europe/Italy/Winter-in-Italy-with-Winter-Recipes.66858
http://www.notecook.com/Desserts/Carnevale-in-Italy-and-a-Recipe-to-Celebrate-This-Holiday.66860
http://www.trifter.com/Europe/Italy/Winter-in-Italy-with-Winter-Recipes.66858
For more recipes, go to the bestselling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking, copyright 2005,2006,2007,2008, Maria Liberati . Purchase at http://www.marialiberati.com and receive free shipping and $5 off retail price.
Ciao for now!!
Maria Liberati
Maria Liberati
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Happy New Year from the Mountains of Abruzzo
(copyright, Maria Liberati 2007)
Here's wishing that you all had a wonderful Christmas and that you were able to include some of the special recipes we have included this past month.
I am writing from my office in Italy- high in the mountains of Abruzzo.
The Holiday season still goes on here. While you are waiting to ring in the New Year as we are here as well, we will be celebrating until the 6th of January. This last Holiday is the Epiphany or La Befana and marks the end of the Christmas Holidays.
Here the Holidays are the topic of conversation for everyone for at least 4-6 weeks. I was really tired and not too awake when we landed in Rome. But I really realized I was here when I had to stop at customs to show my passport. No, showing my passport didn't wake me up. The customs officers- there were 3- that had to look at my passport were discussing a recipe that they had for Christmas Eve dinner (Vigilia) as they glanced at my passport- paying more attention to the details of the recipe than the looking over of passports. And unfortunately I did not hear the entire recipe. Although as tempted as I was to ask, I decided it was best not to ask.
Besides, I knew that the sooner I left the airport the sooner we would be having a cappuccino and cornetti at Palombini-in EUR (a neighborhood in Rome) right in front of the 'square coliseum'-that alone is sight for sore tired eyes.
And as I have been continuing this series, here is an excerpt from my upcoming book- The Basic Art of Italian Cooking-Holidays and Special Occasions (to be released in late 2008). This chapter is about our New Year's Eve last year -to bring in 2007.
The Holiday season still goes on here. While you are waiting to ring in the New Year as we are here as well, we will be celebrating until the 6th of January. This last Holiday is the Epiphany or La Befana and marks the end of the Christmas Holidays.
Here the Holidays are the topic of conversation for everyone for at least 4-6 weeks. I was really tired and not too awake when we landed in Rome. But I really realized I was here when I had to stop at customs to show my passport. No, showing my passport didn't wake me up. The customs officers- there were 3- that had to look at my passport were discussing a recipe that they had for Christmas Eve dinner (Vigilia) as they glanced at my passport- paying more attention to the details of the recipe than the looking over of passports. And unfortunately I did not hear the entire recipe. Although as tempted as I was to ask, I decided it was best not to ask.
Besides, I knew that the sooner I left the airport the sooner we would be having a cappuccino and cornetti at Palombini-in EUR (a neighborhood in Rome) right in front of the 'square coliseum'-that alone is sight for sore tired eyes.
And as I have been continuing this series, here is an excerpt from my upcoming book- The Basic Art of Italian Cooking-Holidays and Special Occasions (to be released in late 2008). This chapter is about our New Year's Eve last year -to bring in 2007.
NEW YEAR'S EVE
(excerpt from The Basic Art of Italian Cooking-Holidays & Special Occasions
copyright, Maria Liberati 2007, art of living,PrimaMedia,Inc.)
Never plan for anything..As all the highways were closed because of icy conditions and two terrible accidents on the A24 highway (the highway that goes from Abruzzo to Rome)–we had to quickly think on our feet to save the festivities for New Year’s Eve. Which we did….
As luck has it we found out this morning that we could not get out of town safely so we had just enough time to grab all of the ingredients we needed to make a 7 course New Year’s Eve fest fit for a king.. for 25 people….
Menu
Primi (first course)
Spaghetti lightly tossed with fresh shrimp and calamari in an ‘aglio e olio’ (garlic and oil) topped at the end with fresh parsley.
Secondi (second course)
Zuppa di lenticchie (lentil soup) with freshly made crostini (croutons)
Served with Cotechino (a type of ham)
Terzo (third course)
Fresh baked salmone
Quarto (fourth course)
Frittata made with fresh escarole and grated parmigiano cheese
Contorni (side dishes)
*Fresh swiss chard- cooked and lightly tossed with olive oil and fresh lemon juice
*Fresh mozzarella
All of this was served with Vino Novello. This is the new wine that comes out about this time of the year. It is called vino novello (new wine) because it is only aged for 3 months versus aging for at least 1 year.
Dolci (desserts)
*Torte di panettone (see recipe in my next blog later this week)
*Artisanal chocolate torrone made here in Abruzzo. (It contains 80% cocoa and hazelnuts grown locally. This is a specialty here in the province of Abruzzo).
Fruit course
Fresh grapes (you must eat at least 12 grapes on New Year’s Eve for good luck).
Fresh apples
To bring in the New Year, Braccchetto D’Acqui was served. It is a sparkling red wine that is delicate and with just a hint of sweetness
Torte di panettone recipe
(Copyright 2005- Maria Liberati)
Many of you who have been at my book signings have savored this torte (cake). We make it around Christmas time because it is made with panettone (an Italian sweet bread made for Christmas). We usually have so much panettone left over and try to think of creative things to do with it. So I came up with this recipe with a friend of mine that is a pastry chef here in Abruzzo. It is really very easy to make but is so yummy they will think you were baking all day.
And as I always recommend in all of my cookbooks- use only the best ingredients you can find for this torte. Since there are only a few ingredients each and everyone is important.
*1/3 to ½ of a pannettone (most gourmet stores carry these now, if you are lucky you may be able to find a fresh baked one as well).
*1- 4 ounce chocolate bar (must be 70-80% cocoa)
*4 large dried figs
*2 cups whole milk
*1/2 cup sugar
*¼ tsp vanilla
*2 whole eggs
Baking paper
1- 8” shallow cake pan
Small piece of solid chocolate to shave into chocolate curls on top
Confectioner’s Sugar
Instructions…
If panettone is a few days old it should be dry. If it is not dry, tear panettone into small cubes, preheat oven to 375-400 degrees. When oven is preheated place panettone cubes on flat baking sheet and bake till begins to turn golden and becomes dry.
Line shallow cake pan with baking paper. Chop 4 ounces of dark chocolate into small pieces. Chop four figs into small pieces. Set these aside.
Cover pan with one layer of panettone cubes. Press cubes gently to fit form of pan. Sprinkle chopped chocolate and figs on panettone cubes. Place another layer of panettone cubes on top, again press gently to cover the first layer and to fit form of pan.
With wire whisk, whisk together 2 cups milk and 2 eggs. Then little by little add in the sugar and whisk and then add in vanilla and whisk for 1 minute or until well blended.
With soup ladle gently pour this mixture over panettone cubes and then gently press down to form panettone and mixture to pan and then let
sit for 10 minutes so all is absorbed. Then place in oven preheated to 375 degrees for 40 -50 minutes.
Top should be golden and all liquid should be absorbed.
When cool, take out of pan by edges of baking paper. Garnish top with a dusting of confectioner’s sugar and chocolate curls shaved from chocolate bar.
Should be kept in refrigerator and best if made the night before.
Serve with Bracchetto D’Acqui sparkling wine.
Tanti Auguri for a safe and Happy 2008!
You can purchase the bestselling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking and still receive $5 off retail price and free shipping at http://www.marialiberati.com/
and portion of proceeds go to Gilda's Club.
Never plan for anything..As all the highways were closed because of icy conditions and two terrible accidents on the A24 highway (the highway that goes from Abruzzo to Rome)–we had to quickly think on our feet to save the festivities for New Year’s Eve. Which we did….
As luck has it we found out this morning that we could not get out of town safely so we had just enough time to grab all of the ingredients we needed to make a 7 course New Year’s Eve fest fit for a king.. for 25 people….
Menu
Primi (first course)
Spaghetti lightly tossed with fresh shrimp and calamari in an ‘aglio e olio’ (garlic and oil) topped at the end with fresh parsley.
Secondi (second course)
Zuppa di lenticchie (lentil soup) with freshly made crostini (croutons)
Served with Cotechino (a type of ham)
Terzo (third course)
Fresh baked salmone
Quarto (fourth course)
Frittata made with fresh escarole and grated parmigiano cheese
Contorni (side dishes)
*Fresh swiss chard- cooked and lightly tossed with olive oil and fresh lemon juice
*Fresh mozzarella
All of this was served with Vino Novello. This is the new wine that comes out about this time of the year. It is called vino novello (new wine) because it is only aged for 3 months versus aging for at least 1 year.
Dolci (desserts)
*Torte di panettone (see recipe in my next blog later this week)
*Artisanal chocolate torrone made here in Abruzzo. (It contains 80% cocoa and hazelnuts grown locally. This is a specialty here in the province of Abruzzo).
Fruit course
Fresh grapes (you must eat at least 12 grapes on New Year’s Eve for good luck).
Fresh apples
To bring in the New Year, Braccchetto D’Acqui was served. It is a sparkling red wine that is delicate and with just a hint of sweetness
Torte di panettone recipe
(Copyright 2005- Maria Liberati)
Many of you who have been at my book signings have savored this torte (cake). We make it around Christmas time because it is made with panettone (an Italian sweet bread made for Christmas). We usually have so much panettone left over and try to think of creative things to do with it. So I came up with this recipe with a friend of mine that is a pastry chef here in Abruzzo. It is really very easy to make but is so yummy they will think you were baking all day.
And as I always recommend in all of my cookbooks- use only the best ingredients you can find for this torte. Since there are only a few ingredients each and everyone is important.
*1/3 to ½ of a pannettone (most gourmet stores carry these now, if you are lucky you may be able to find a fresh baked one as well).
*1- 4 ounce chocolate bar (must be 70-80% cocoa)
*4 large dried figs
*2 cups whole milk
*1/2 cup sugar
*¼ tsp vanilla
*2 whole eggs
Baking paper
1- 8” shallow cake pan
Small piece of solid chocolate to shave into chocolate curls on top
Confectioner’s Sugar
Instructions…
If panettone is a few days old it should be dry. If it is not dry, tear panettone into small cubes, preheat oven to 375-400 degrees. When oven is preheated place panettone cubes on flat baking sheet and bake till begins to turn golden and becomes dry.
Line shallow cake pan with baking paper. Chop 4 ounces of dark chocolate into small pieces. Chop four figs into small pieces. Set these aside.
Cover pan with one layer of panettone cubes. Press cubes gently to fit form of pan. Sprinkle chopped chocolate and figs on panettone cubes. Place another layer of panettone cubes on top, again press gently to cover the first layer and to fit form of pan.
With wire whisk, whisk together 2 cups milk and 2 eggs. Then little by little add in the sugar and whisk and then add in vanilla and whisk for 1 minute or until well blended.
With soup ladle gently pour this mixture over panettone cubes and then gently press down to form panettone and mixture to pan and then let
sit for 10 minutes so all is absorbed. Then place in oven preheated to 375 degrees for 40 -50 minutes.
Top should be golden and all liquid should be absorbed.
When cool, take out of pan by edges of baking paper. Garnish top with a dusting of confectioner’s sugar and chocolate curls shaved from chocolate bar.
Should be kept in refrigerator and best if made the night before.
Serve with Bracchetto D’Acqui sparkling wine.
Tanti Auguri for a safe and Happy 2008!
You can purchase the bestselling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking and still receive $5 off retail price and free shipping at http://www.marialiberati.com/
and portion of proceeds go to Gilda's Club.
Friday, October 5, 2007
Pasta, Pasta, Pasta...
(Copyright, Maria Liberati, 2006-2007)
Pasta is one of our national treasures (in Italy)- we have even a museum dedicated to pasta in Rome. But there are so many ideas and misconceptions about its' orgins. So with my 3 part series on this wonderful delight, although I am featuring some pasta recipes from my book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking,part I (http://www.marialiberati.com)and/ the upcoming book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking-Spaghetti at Midnight- I want to first set the record straight on many 'pasta myths'.
When it comes to Italian culture, one cannot offer an accurate description without giving due attention to the plentiful dishes that are tied to the nation’s identity and shared with the rest of the world. However, the Italian menu that is practically synonymous with the nation itself has not always been. While it is difficult to imagine an Italy without its traditional food, such a place did at one time exist. By taking a look at some of the history of what we now consider “Italian food,” we are offered an often overlooked aspect of the beloved cuisine and an opportunity to appreciate it all the more.
An obvious starting point is the origin of pasta, the ultimate staple of Italian cooking. While other traditional Italian favorites such as tomato sauce and pizza have a fairly recent history, pasta has a much older heritage that can be traced back hundreds, and perhaps thousands of years.
A common myth surrounding the introduction of pasta to Italy is that the Venetian merchant, Marco Polo, returned from journeys in China with the dish, thereby introducing it to the nation. However, this belief has been debunked, as records clearly show that pasta was already in existence in Italy at this time. While several theories still exist, the more commonly accepted one today is tied to the Arab invasions of Italy in the 8th century. Pasta was first prepared in Italy in dried form in Sicily. Some Sicilian lasagna dishes today still contain such ingredients as raisins and cinnamon, also Arab contributions, which lends credence to the fact that pasta was indeed introduced by this group. The combination of Italy’s climate, which proved favorable for the harvesting of durum wheat, and the gradual introduction of newtechnology, which made pasta easier to make, allowed the dish to thrive.
Next week we will learn how the making of pasta was transformed from a labor intensive task to a much simpler undertaking through the innovations of several individuals who contributed their ideas and inventions.
When it comes to Italian culture, one cannot offer an accurate description without giving due attention to the plentiful dishes that are tied to the nation’s identity and shared with the rest of the world. However, the Italian menu that is practically synonymous with the nation itself has not always been. While it is difficult to imagine an Italy without its traditional food, such a place did at one time exist. By taking a look at some of the history of what we now consider “Italian food,” we are offered an often overlooked aspect of the beloved cuisine and an opportunity to appreciate it all the more.
An obvious starting point is the origin of pasta, the ultimate staple of Italian cooking. While other traditional Italian favorites such as tomato sauce and pizza have a fairly recent history, pasta has a much older heritage that can be traced back hundreds, and perhaps thousands of years.
A common myth surrounding the introduction of pasta to Italy is that the Venetian merchant, Marco Polo, returned from journeys in China with the dish, thereby introducing it to the nation. However, this belief has been debunked, as records clearly show that pasta was already in existence in Italy at this time. While several theories still exist, the more commonly accepted one today is tied to the Arab invasions of Italy in the 8th century. Pasta was first prepared in Italy in dried form in Sicily. Some Sicilian lasagna dishes today still contain such ingredients as raisins and cinnamon, also Arab contributions, which lends credence to the fact that pasta was indeed introduced by this group. The combination of Italy’s climate, which proved favorable for the harvesting of durum wheat, and the gradual introduction of newtechnology, which made pasta easier to make, allowed the dish to thrive.
Next week we will learn how the making of pasta was transformed from a labor intensive task to a much simpler undertaking through the innovations of several individuals who contributed their ideas and inventions.
Enjoy this first pasta dish! This is a popular Roman dish. Bucatini and perciatelli pasta are thicker versions of spaghetti. If you have any questions, please email maria@marialiberati.com and for more recipes, tips, ideas, please visit us at: http://www.marialiberati.com
BUCATINI WITH BROCOLETTI
(copyright 2007, The Basic Art of Italian Cooking, Spaghetti at Midnight by Maria Liberati)
1 lb of perciatelli or bucatini pasta
1 lb of brocoletti (broccoli rabe or you cn use regular broccoli)
2 garlic cloves
1 tblsp pignoli nuts
½ lb plum tomatoes
1 handful parsley
Grated pecorino cheese
5 tblsps of extra virgin olive oil
Salt, pepper to taste
Wash broccoletti and boil in lightly salted water. Take out of water when done, saving the cooking water. In a sauté pan place in the olive oil with finely chopped garlic and onion, and sauté for a couple of minutes. Then add in tomatoes cut into small pieces, pinoli and broccoletti, add pinch of pepper and salt and let cook for 15 minutes.
Boil the water that you used to cook broccoletti and let cook till al dente and drain, Place in pan with sauce and toss to lightly coat. Sprinkle in handful of grated pecorino cheese, toss lightly and serve.
1 lb of perciatelli or bucatini pasta
1 lb of brocoletti (broccoli rabe or you cn use regular broccoli)
2 garlic cloves
1 tblsp pignoli nuts
½ lb plum tomatoes
1 handful parsley
Grated pecorino cheese
5 tblsps of extra virgin olive oil
Salt, pepper to taste
Wash broccoletti and boil in lightly salted water. Take out of water when done, saving the cooking water. In a sauté pan place in the olive oil with finely chopped garlic and onion, and sauté for a couple of minutes. Then add in tomatoes cut into small pieces, pinoli and broccoletti, add pinch of pepper and salt and let cook for 15 minutes.
Boil the water that you used to cook broccoletti and let cook till al dente and drain, Place in pan with sauce and toss to lightly coat. Sprinkle in handful of grated pecorino cheese, toss lightly and serve.
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